Improvement in printing-presses



. ZSheets-Sheet 1. R. M. HOE 8:. S. D. TUCKER. PRINTING-PRESS. No.173.295.

m m v @M 0 7 m Patented Feb &

N-PEI'ERS. FMOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. n. c.

ZSheets-SheetZ. R. M. HOE & S. D. TUCKER.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Patented Feb.8 ,1 876.

N. PEI'ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C

U ITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

EIopAED M. HOE AND sTEPHEN D. TUCKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVE MENT IN PRlNTING-P-RESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,295, dated February8, 1876; application filed October 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RICHARD M. lion and STEPHEN -D. TUCKER, of thecity, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement inCylinder Prillting-Machines, of which the following is a specification:In the accompanying drawings, .in which like letters indicate likeparts, Figure 1 is a side elevation with portions of the frame-workremoved, so as to better exhibit the interior parts; Fig. 2, a rearview, in which the lower portion is a section taken on line as .10 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3, "a view of a portion of the cylinderwheel; Fig. 4, aview of the cylinder-segment; Fig. 5, a view, partly in section, of theupper portion'of one of the spring-levers Fig. 6, a

' side view of one of the spring-levers; Fig. 7,

a front viewof the inking-table; Fig. 8, front and side views of therod-holding bracket; and Fig. 9 a side-face view of one of thespringlevers.

The invention relatesto that class of cylinder or rotaryprinting-machines in which the printing-form reciprocates horizontally;and it consists in various details of construction which areparticularly hereinafter specified and described. 7

' The main frame A, in which the several parts of the machine aresupported,rise.s from the bed-plate G, and has suitably secured to itthe longitudinal ribs or-ways B B, upon which the type-bed ereciprocates. This typebed is provided with the usual runners n, and maybe provided with friction-rollers or a rollenframe, as is common, whichtravels in the ways B B, and supports the bed in all positions of itshorizontal reciprocation. The bed is driven by a pinion, D, on the endof a vibrating shaft, E, which is connected by a universal joint, 0. a,with the driving-shaft G, and engages with a double rack, F, pendentfrom thebed e by means of hangers H H. The shaft E is guided in itsvertical vibrations in a bifurcated post, K, and the driving-pinion D isguided from the upper to the lower side of the double rack F by curvedsegments M and N at each end thereof, to produce the reverse movement ofthe bed in the well-known manner. The bed is provided on its under sideat its either end with rollers t t hung be- ;tweenbrackets 0 0, so as toprovide a clear space above them. (See Fig. '2.) Two rods,

0 c, lying parallel to each other, pass through proper openings in ashort bracket, Q, bolted or screwed to the bed-plate, which rods arefixed therein by pins Z or by other convenient means, to prevent theirlongitudinal movement. The outer ends of these rods 0 pass throughopenings in swivel-blocks R, which are thus capable of sliding uponthem;and bearing against and between these blocks and the bracket Q arespiral springs S, which surround said rods 0 0. At each end of themachine levers T T, fulcrumed in brackets it, projecting from the endframes, are inclined forward, and their hook-shaped lower ends are madeto embrace the journals u u of the sliding swivel-blocks R. The outwardpressure of the springs S upon these blocks forces the tops of thelevers T into an inclined or forward position toward the center of thepress, which inclination is determined by a projecting lug, g, bearingagainst the bracket t, or.- -'by any other suitable stop. The upper endsof said levers T are bifurcated, as seen in Fig. 9, so as to receive acurved arm, 1", which is journaled between the jaws thus provided. Eachof these curved arms 1 is so shaped at its lower end as to provide forits forward movement upon its journals independently of the motion ofthe lever T, and they may thus be folded down to clear the path in whichthe rollers -i 2' travel, as in Fig. 5. The curved arms and the levers Tare each provided wi h shoulders or stops 9 and 11, (Fig. 1,) whichengage each other to prevent the backward movement of the said armsbeyond a point where they form perfect continuations or extensions ofsaid levers.

Springs 3, fastened upon the backs of the levers T and bearing upon thelower ends of the curved arms 4, serve to hold them in their upright andfolded positions respectively, as in Figs. 1 and 5, though the springsor some equivalent holding means is essential only in holding the armsupright, since they will remain folded or bent down by gravity alone.

When the bed has the heavy form of type upon it, and is reciprocated bythe operation of the machine, its weight and momentum are such thatpowerful springs are required to arrest its movements at each end of itsreciprocation; hence, when it is to be run out by handpower to the frontof the machine to receive the form, the great power necessary toovercome the resistance of the springs cannot be conveniently applied,but by constructing the arms 1' to fold down below the path or plane inwhich the rollers 11 6 upon the bed travel, the bed may be readily movedinto the proper position to receive the form or make it ready withoutcompressing the springs. When the bed is reciprocated and approacheseither end of the machine, one of the rollerst' passes under one of thecurved arms 1', which is in the proper position to thus meet it, as inFig. 1; and, as the movement of the bed continues the roller 2' runsunder the curved end of the arm 1*, and thus pressing against its curvedunder side, which is in a plane nearly the same as that in which the topofithe bed-roller i is traveling, gently presses the saidrarm 1' upwardand backward as the said roller runs'down its curved face. The backwardmovement of this arm, and consequently ofthat of the lever T upon itsfulcrum,is thus gradually imparted and increased from a slow to a rapidpace, thereby with like speed compressing the springs S upon the rods 0through the sliding movement of the swivel-block Ragainst them. Theincreasing power of the springs is thus opposed tothe movement of thebed until it is arrested at the end of its stroke, when the leverTstands in a vertical position and at right anglesto the bed,atwhich'time the bedroller r-presses squarely against the face of thelever, and the springs exert their greatest power. The transition from aslight pressure to that finally exerted by the springs is graduated andregular," which enables the bed to be stopped at the end of its strokein either direction, without concussion or jar..

In the movement of the bed away from the spring lever it has pressedbackward, the greatest power of the springs is applied while the leveris in its vertical position, and so gradually withdrawn as the leverreturns to its inclined position by means of the curved arm, that thebed is relieved from the pressure of the springs without the slightestinter ference with the regular motion, which at this time itreceivesfrom its driving-gears, and the lever T; as its curved arm leaves theroller 2', gently seats itself upon its stop 9 without jar orconcussion. As the roller z runs under the curved arm r the bed isthereby held down in its ways, and is thus prevented fromjumping as itsdriving-pinion passes around the ends of the double rack. The curved armthus holds the bed steady at this time, and does not leave the roller 2'until the said pinion has fairly re-engaged the top or bottom of thesaid rack, and thus insures a smooth and regular motion, to be impartedto the bed from its driving-pinion.

The impression-cylinder has its bearings in standards I, rising from themain frame, and to one end of its shaft is keyed a gear-wheel, P, whichis connected with the gear J on the portion of the cylinder carrying thesheet,

move in contact, to cause an impression to be printed upon the sheet,the segment U on the cylinder will engage the inside rack V on thebed,'causing the two to move in unison; and, in order that the unitedmovements of the cylinder and bed shall be exact and perfect during thetime when the impression is being made upon the sheet, that portion ofthe teeth of the cylinder-wheel P which would engage the intermediatedriving-gear L at this time-via, those from j to k-are reduced inthickness, or removed, and hence rendered inoperative, so that no motionshall be communicated to the cylinder from the gear L during the timethe impression is being effected, thus leaving the cylinder whollydependent upon the motion derived from the rack upon the bed, which thuscauses both cylinder and bed to move in perfect unison.

This construction accomplishes perfect work, since any irregularityresulting from the connections between the bed and cylinder being madethrough the double rack F, drivingpinion D, universal joint a a,driving-gear J, intermediate gear L, and cylinder-wheel P, is

obviated by the connection being made directfrom the cylinder to the bedby the rack V and segment U.

When the impression is completed the cylinder-wheel 1? is in sucha'position that its full teeth re-engage the gear L, at which time thesegment U leaves the rack V, and the re verse movement of the bed isaccomplished by the driving-pinion D, while the continued rotation ofthe cylinder carries the printed sheet, by

means of the tapes m, to the delivering rollers or pulleys W, by whichit is directed upon the endless cords 6 over the fly-frame 5, whence itis carried to the piling-table. The cord-frame consists of pulleys 7 onshafts 8 journaled in the side bars 12 and w, and continuously moved bya band, 19, running over one of the deliverypulleys W. The side bars 1)and w are connected together by suitable braces or tie-rods, and swingupon bosses 10 which project fromthe main frame. These bosses 10, thebearinghubs 12, andthe hearings or boxes 13 of the shaft of .thedelivery-pulleys W are all slotted, as in Fig. 1, so that the shaftcarrying the'delivering-pulleys may be lifted up and out when occasionrequires their removal. Arms b project from the upper ends of the sidebars 0 and w, so as to form therewith bell-crank levers. Rods 1, jointedto these arms b, have their free ends sliding in suitable guide sleevesor plates attached to the main frame, and spiral springs encircling therods 1 exert an upward pres s ure against collars 3, which areadjustable upon said rodsf When the fly cord-frame is raised into theposition shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, as it may be when access to thecylinder or other parts at this end of the machine is desired, the armsb will carry the joints connecting them with the rods 1 into suchposition that the pressure of their springs will securely support thecord'frame; and when it is. to be lowered to its working position, shownin full lines, Fig. 1, the jointed connections of the, rods and the armsb are carried to positions slightly infront of the centers on which saidcord-frame swings, where they continuously but slightly press with anupward tendency upon the side bars of thc cordframe. They thus act ascushions, sustaining the weight of the cord-frame, and prevent itsfalling or being carried down with snchforce as would injure it.Suitable stops fixed to the main frame limit these mo- .tions of theswinging fly cord-frame in either arms 1 in proper extended position, aheel, 4,

and a swinging bolt with thumb-nut may be used, as in Fig. 6. 4 i

The inkingtable is composed of narrow wooden strips ton gued andgrooved, the joints being left dry or unglued. Stay-rods 17 pass- .ingtransversely through these strips 14, hold them together, and by meansof the nuts 16, any separation of the seams caused by the shrinkage ofthe strips, may be taken up.

Braces 15 support and strengthen the table to which they are fastened,by screws passing through elongated slots, which provide for themovements of the strips when their seams are tightened by the rods 17and nuts 16.

Parts of the press not herein particularly described are of the ordinaryconstruction.

What I claim is 1. The combination of the roller or rollers t with thetype-bed for operating the springbrake lever, substantially as shown andde-' scribed.

2. A spring-brake lever constructed with a curved head or arm, whichforms an inclined bearing-surface upon which travels an engaging part ofthe type-bed, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the bed roller or rollers, and the curvedbrake-lever, substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with a reciprocating typebed, an inclined brake-lever,having a curved head or arm, substantially as described, whereby thepower of the lever is gradually transmitted to the bed as the lever isforced backward into a vertical position, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. A brake-lever, constructed with a folding upper or hearing en'd,substantially as shown and described.

6. In combination with brake-lever T, and

its folding arm, a stop limiting the rearwardmotion of said arm upon thelever, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of the lever T, folding arm 1", and means,substantially as described, for holding said arm in its uprightorextended position. v

'8. The combination of the cylinder-wheel,

having a portion of its periphery inoperative,

position, and form a cushion when the frame is lowered, substantially asshown and described.

12. An inking-table, constructed of tongued and grooved wooden strips,held adjustably together by means of stay-rods l7, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names-to this Specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' RIOHD'M. HOE.

STEPHEN D. TUCKER. Witnesses: w ISAAC KRAUS,

ROBERT CooHRAN.

